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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25181956">The Aftermath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazOfScotland/pseuds/KazOfScotland'>KazOfScotland</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:28:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25181956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KazOfScotland/pseuds/KazOfScotland</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the aftermath of a long, difficult shift, Eddie reassures Buck that he can break and feel those emotions.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Week 2020 [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1818337</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Abuela had decided that she had wanted to keep Chris for the night as both Buck and Eddie were coming off the shift from hell. It had been all over the news. The bombings that had brought back the memories from a year and a half ago, and she knew that if that was the case for her and Christopher it would be much worse for Buck, who had been a victim, and Eddie who had witnessed what happened to Buck first hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Now, both men were laid stretched out on Eddie’s couch. Buck still had his own apartment but the Diaz house was where he felt at home, it was where he felt safe. By some miracle after everything that had happened with the ladder truck, the tsunami, the lawsuit and its aftermath, and the street fighting, they had both ended up here. Neither man was willing to admit just how long they had been attracted to each other, in love with each other, but all it mattered was that now they were together and happy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Eddie was happy to be here now. He was relieved that he was able to lie there with Buck in his arms and know that they had moved on from the past. He knew that Buck was still terrified because of the bombings, that he was terrified that the 118 would be attacked again, that he would have to relive being trapped under that Ladder truck. And honestly, he didn’t blame him. He was terrified of what had happened to Buck, but he knew that Buck had never dealt with the trauma of the bombing, and that tonight was going to be the night that it all came to a head. This was the first time that they had dealt with any sort of call that could have brought back the trauma of that night. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Buck,” Eddie whispered quietly into Buck’s hair from where the younger man was lying against his chest. He could feel Buck trembling against him, and the stuttered breathing as a consequence of trying to stop his emotions from overwhelming him. But that wasn’t what Eddie wanted him to do, he wanted Buck to feel as though he didn’t need to hide how he was feeling. “It’s okay. Today had to be tough,” Eddie kept his voice soft and low, the same as he would whenever he had to calm Christopher down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Texan was waiting for Buck to crash, he knew it was coming, it had to be coming, especially after the day that they had experienced. Eddie knew that he had never dealt with his feelings over Afghanistan, and he knew that similarly, Buck had never dealt with the trauma of everything that had happened with the Ladder truck bombing and its aftermath. He also knew that trauma like that had a habit of returning when something even slightly similar to the original trauma raised its head. And today certainly had been one of those days. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay,” Buck’s voice was cracking, but Eddie was willing to bet that the younger man was trying his best to keep his emotions together. However, Eddie could feel the slight dampness of the few tears that Buck couldn’t stop leaking onto his t-shirt. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, you can cry,” Eddie knew that the reassurance would not be enough to change everything that Buck believed, but he hoped it would be enough that Buck would let the emotions out rather than try and bury it. He kept rubbing his thumb in small circles on the back of Buck’s neck, and as harsh as it may sound, Eddie would admit that he was relieved when he felt, rather than heard, Buck shake with stuttering sobs. “It’s okay.” </span>
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